Plan for crematorium in Vale is approved

Plans to build a £3.5m crematorium near Abingdon to cut travelling times for mourners has been approved.

The 296sqm building on the A338 Wantage Road by Garford would be the third crematorium in the county.

The firm behind the bid, Stratton Audley-based Memoria, said the facility would serve a population of 190,000 and save people from travelling to Oxford, Banbury, West Berkshire, Thatcham or
Swindon.

The site will also have gardens of remembrance and land for burials.

Vale of White Horse District Council approved plans on Wednesday night, but the project will not be rubber stamped until a legal
agreement over developer contributions to local infrastructure is agreed.

Nigel Carter, of Edward Carter Funeral Directors in Abingdon, said: “We have often experienced occasions where our clients have had to wait over 10 days to secure a booking at Oxford Crematorium.”

Share article

Memoria’s Jamieson Hodgson said: “There is a big gap in the country which is certainly not provided for.

“People in Abingdon, Faringdon, Didcot and Wantage have to travel more than 30 minutes to get to their closest crematorium.”

Most crematoriums seem to be built outside towns. I guess they need quite large sites and maybe people don't like them being built next door. Even the Oxford one is a bit away from the housing in Barton, isn't it? If the target market for this one is Abingdon, Didcot, Grove and Wantage then it is reasonably well positioned.

Most crematoriums seem to be built outside towns. I guess they need quite large sites and maybe people don't like them being built next door.
Even the Oxford one is a bit away from the housing in Barton, isn't it?
If the target market for this one is Abingdon, Didcot, Grove and Wantage then it is reasonably well positioned.Abingdon Neil

Most crematoriums seem to be built outside towns. I guess they need quite large sites and maybe people don't like them being built next door. Even the Oxford one is a bit away from the housing in Barton, isn't it? If the target market for this one is Abingdon, Didcot, Grove and Wantage then it is reasonably well positioned.

Score: 0

Julian G says...7:15am Tue 1 May 12

If this is to be built, could I make a plea for a building with some degree of architectural merit and pleasantness? The Oxford Crematorium is the THE most depressing building. We all know what their purpose is - let's at least make a visit a less ghastly experience than it really needs to be.

If this is to be built, could I make a plea for a building with some degree of architectural merit and pleasantness? The Oxford Crematorium is the THE most depressing building. We all know what their purpose is - let's at least make a visit a less ghastly experience than it really needs to be.Julian G

If this is to be built, could I make a plea for a building with some degree of architectural merit and pleasantness? The Oxford Crematorium is the THE most depressing building. We all know what their purpose is - let's at least make a visit a less ghastly experience than it really needs to be.

Ipsoregulated

This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standardards Organisations's Editors' Code of Practice. If you have a compaint about editorial content which relates to inaccuracy or intrusion, then please contact the editor here. If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can contact IPSO here